Advanced Installer Package Types
The Package Type property indicates the platforms that are compatible with this installation package and can be changed from Install Parameters page.
Supported package types
- 32-bit package
- Arm64 package
- 64-bit package for x64 processors (AMD64, EM64T)
- 64-bit package for Intel64 (Itanium) processor
- Mixed 32/64-bit matching the platform (runs as a 32-bit package on 32-bit systems and as a 64-bit package on x64 systems)
Package types OS compatibility
| Package Type | x86 Platform | x64 platform | Intel64 Platform | ARM Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32-bit package | yes | yes (without access to 64-bit folders) | yes (without access to 64-bit folders) | no |
| ARM64 package | no | no | no | yes |
| 64-bit package for x64 processors (AMD64, EM64T) | no | yes | no | no |
| 64-bit package for Intel64 (Itanium) processor | no | no | yes | no |
| Mixed 32/64-bit matching the platform | yes | yes | yes | no |
32-bit Package
This package type can be installed on both 32-bit and 64-bit platforms. It is recommended to use this package type if your application contains no 64-bit binaries and you don't want to interact with any 64-bit folder or registry location.
Arm64 Package
ARM configuration includes desktop PCs, mobile devices, and some IoT Core devices (Rasperry Pi 2, Raspberry Pi 3, and DragonBoard).
64-bit Package
A 64-bit package (both Intel64 and x64) is meant to install files in 64-bit folder locations and/or entries in 64-bit registry portion.
A 64-bit package can't be installed on 32-bit platforms.
Folder Locations on 64-bit platforms
| Package Type | 32-bit Package | |
|---|---|---|
| Folder | 32-bit OS | 64-bit OS |
| ProgramFilesFolder | C:\Program Files\ | C:\Program Files (x86)\ |
| CommonFilesFolder | C:\Program Files\Common Files\ | C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\ |
| SystemFolder | C:\Windows\system32\ | C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ |
| ProgramFiles64Folder | - | C:\Program Files (x86)\ |
| CommonFiles64Folder | - | C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\ |
| System64Folder | - | C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ |
| AI_ProgramFiles | - | - |
| Package Type | 64-bit Package |
|---|---|
| Folder | 64-bit OS |
| ProgramFilesFolder | C:\Program Files (x86)\ |
| CommonFilesFolder | C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\ |
| SystemFolder | C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ |
| ProgramFiles64Folder | C:\Program Files\ |
| CommonFiles64Folder | C:\Program Files\Common Files\ |
| System64Folder | C:\Windows\system32\ |
| AI_ProgramFiles | - |
| Package Type | Mixed 32/64 Package | |
|---|---|---|
| Folder | 32-bit OS | 64-bit OS |
| ProgramFilesFolder | C:\Program Files\ | C:\Program Files (x86)\ |
| CommonFilesFolder | C:\Program Files\Common Files\ | C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\ |
| SystemFolder | C:\Windows\system32\ | C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ |
| ProgramFiles64Folder | - | C:\Program Files\ |
| CommonFiles64Folder | - | C:\Program Files\Common Files\ |
| System64Folder | - | C:\Windows\system32\ |
| AI_ProgramFiles | C:\Program Files\ | C:\Program Files\ |
Paths to system folders are retrieved differently on 64-bit platforms than on 32-bit platforms. In a 64-bit package you can use the following folders:
ProgramFiles64Folder - C:\Program Files\ CommonFiles64Folder - C:\Program Files\Common Files\ System64Folder - C:\Windows\system32\
Their 32-bit counterparts are resolved to redirected locations as follows:
ProgramFilesFolder - C:\Program Files (x86)\ CommonFilesFolder - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\ SystemFolder - C:\Windows\SysWOW64\
Although 32-bit package can be installed on 64-bit platforms, the ProgramFiles64Folder,
CommonFiles64Folder and System64Folder are resolved to the redirected locations, that is why
you need a 64-bit package in order to access the real system paths on a 64-bit
platform.
Mixed 32/64-bit matching the platform
This package runs as a 32-bit package on 32-bit systems and as a 64-bit package on x64 systems. It allows you to have a single installation package that will install on both platform types (32-bit and 64-bit platforms) and can install files or registry in the real system paths regardless of the platform.
Since “ProgramFilesFolder” property is resolved to redirected location on 64-bit platforms, and “ProgramFiles64Folder” is not defined on 32-bit platforms, for this kind of packages, Advanced Installer defines the “AI_ProgramFiles” property that will point to the system program files (C:\Program Files\) on both platform types.